Equinox
by Sand3
Summary: For a long time, the Night Dimension has been out of balance. Under Owl's instruction, NiGHTS has been working to restore the balance between fear and joy one dreamer at a time. Recently, signs have started to appear of that balance returning.
1. Chapter 1

'NiGHTS!'

There was the sound of familiar wings beating somewhere over his head. NiGHTS groaned.

'Are you awake?' Owl asked.

'Of _course_ not,' NiGHTS grumbled and his hand found its way to his head, rubbing as he blinked a few times, trying to clear the spots from his vision. Everything had gone white, and then black, after smashing Wizeman this time.

Owl made an irritated sound. 'I meant conscious, aware of yourself.'

'I'm aware of a headache,' NiGHTS moaned, sitting up and hugging his knees as he worked to piece the world back together in his mind.

'You overdid it again,' Owl observed, and NiGHTS could picture him shaking his head as he sighed. 'It's not good for you two dualize with two children at once.'

'It's good for them.' NiGHTS shrugged. 'If two of them fit together well, they're stronger in pairs. They're lonely creatures, Owl, they all need a partner.'

'I thought the point was that _you_ were their partner.'

'They spend most of their lives out of my reach.' NiGHTS finally floated up off the ground, stretching his back and arms. 'They need support on the other side of the gate. I get the impression it's a nasty place.'

'… You won't be able to support them _here_ if you keep this up. You're going to ware yourself out.' Owl had a worried look on his face when NiGHTS looked over at him.

'You worry too much, old bird,' NiGHTS replied with a toothy grin. 'I'll be fine. You just keep finding them for me.'

Owl settled himself on the edge of the fountain and gave NiGHTS a long, hard stare, worry still painted all over him. 'I will help you, you know that, but you must take care of yourself, NiGHTS. Nightopia needs you. You're too young to remember how it was, but what you see here is not as it should be.'

'Hmmm,' NiGHTS lighted on the top of the fountain and played idly in the water. 'Tell me how it's supposed to be again.'

Owl smiled, just a little. 'Before things went awry, Nightopia covered half of the Night Dimension,' he said, slipping into his story-telling voice. 'It didn't fade or disappear when a visitor woke, because there was always a dreamer somewhere in their world dreaming something beautiful. The Mother watched over them while they were here and guarded the Nightopians who welcomed the visitors and played with them.'

'Was she pretty?' NiGHTS asked, kicking his foot back and forth through a stream of water. He knew the answer, because Owl had told him this story many times before, but he liked to hear it.

'She was beautiful.' Owl nodded and puffed his feathers a bit, settling into a more comfortable position. 'Her smile was as bright as the sun and she was always smiling. Her arms were warm and soft and strong. Her voice was like the sweetest music.'

'I want to meet her,' NiGHTS sighed, tilting back his head and gazing up at the stars.

'If we can restore balance to the Night Dimension, then I'm sure you will,' Owl sounded so confident.

'How long do you think it will take? I've been doing this for a long time…'

'And you were Wizeman's pawn a long time before that. You must be patient. Remember that when you started, the Nightopians didn't sing and they were afraid of every shadow,' Owl reminded him. 'We have come a long ways already.'

...

Max's forest was a bit creepy for a Nightopia, but he was thrilled by it. He was the adventuring type and he reveled in battling the lesser 'maren and exploring his dark woodland. He was attracting the 'maren, NiGHTS noted as they spun around a tree-trunk and then zoomed up into it's branches, three Gaos chasing behind them. Max was exuding a spirit of adventure that could probably be felt halfway across the Night Dimension, and it was pulling hungry Nightmaren in like flies to honey.

They laughed as they arched over a thick branch and then dove back downward, pulling into a spin and hitting two of the Gaos in one shot before circling around and parelooping the third. _This is great!_ Max crowed. _I hope I never wake up!_

'Aren't there fun things to do when you wake up too?' NiGHTS asked, slowing their descent and then leveling off to skim above the mossy ground.

_Not like this..._ Max said, getting moody. _And it's not like I have any friends._

'Why not make some friends?'

_Because I'm not funny or cool. Nobody's gonna want to be my friend._

'You're lots of fun though!' NiGHTS protested. 'You like to have a good time and you're nice! You should just go up and poke somebody in the shoulder and say "Hi! I'm Max! Want to be my friend?"'

_Only a desperate retard would think that was cool!_ Max wailed.

'If I was a kid at your school, and you said that to me, I would totally be your friend!' NiGHTS sniffed, a bit offended. 'Besides, you're not the only kid who wants a friend! If you ask a few different people, you'll definitely find somebody else who is trying to find someone!'

_... But that sounds so dorky..._ Max whined.

'Having _fun?_'

NiGHTS snapped them around in the air to find his twin flying an arm's-length away, giving him a disdainful look. 'Reala!' he yelped, skidding to a stop. 'When did you--'

'You're rather distracted tonight, aren't you?' Reala scoffed, glaring back at him. 'Unwise, considering the stench that visitor is making.'

_Who is this guy, NiGHTS?_ Max asked, his adventurous spirit wavering. Reala could have that effect on people.

'Bad news,' NiGHTS answered, squaring his shoulders and glaring back at Reala. 'Get lost, Reala!'

'No. I don't think I will.' Reala reached a hand forward and gestured. NiGHTS tried to fly out of the way of whatever was coming, but the gesture hadn't been one he recognized and he couldn't tell where the attack was going to come from.

Manacles suddenly leapt out of nowhere, snapping tight around his wrists and ankles and dragging him down towards the forest floor with a sound of clinking chains. Max screamed in startled terror and then their back hit the ground and the breath was knocked out of them.

Reala laughed with a gloating sneer and twisted in the air to drift his way down to them, slowly, a sadistic grin in his eyes and lips speaking of pain and horror to come. NiGHTS really hated that expression and Reala was so _good_ at it, which he well knew and took full advantage of. NiGHTS could feel his body shaking with Max's fear as Reala neared, and then, when Reala was a few inches away, NiGHTS felt Max being ripped violently away.

'ARGH!' NiGHTS flinched hard. It hurt when someone he was dualized with woke up so suddenly.

'Not so brave after all, was it?' Reala snickered and NiGHTS cracked his eyes back open to glare up at his twin.

'He'll be back,' NiGHTS replied through gritted teeth. 'He'll be back and he'll kick your ass.'

'Oh?' Reala asked and swooped down, hovering with his face a few inches from NiGHTS'. 'Even if you're not there to help it?'

'PTTTTTTHHHHHHT!' NiGHTS blew a razzberry.

Reala jerked backwards in the air and wiped his hand across his face, growling. 'I don't have time to play with you tonight!' he snapped, dipping his feet towards the mossy ground and starting to draw a portal around NiGHTS, but then he paused and looked up suddenly.

NiGHTS could hear it too, the sound that had caught Reala's attention. Pounding hoof-beats. All at once, a very bright light started shining somewhere behind NiGHTS, he twisted and tried to see what it was, but couldn't turn his head that far and looked back at Reala, who was squinting and trying to shade his eyes against the light.

'Hold, Nightmaren,' a high, echoing voice commanded. 'You are unwelcome here.'

Reala snarled, lowering his hand and glaring at whatever the source of the light and voice was. 'Who do you think you are?!' he demanded. 'I take orders from no one but Master Wizeman!'

'I am Auloris, and this is _my _forest. You will leave at once or I will expel you,' the voice answered.

'I'd like to see you try!' Reala squared himself for a fight and a moment later the hoof-beats resumed, charging down towards them.

The brilliant creature finally came into NiGHTS' line of sight just as it dove towards Reala, it's head lowered to gore him on its viciously pointed horn. Reala skimmed through the air and avoided it, but he looked startled, as NiGHTS was, by its speed. The creature turned and charged again as Reala made a frantic series of gestures in the air.

A portal opened above them just a moment before the glowing animal slammed into Reala. Its momentum carried them both out of NiGHTS' vision and he twisted, frantically, trying to see what had happened. '_Reala?!_' he called, a horrible feeling of panic starting to rise within him. '_Reala?!_' He'd seen the creature make contact with his twin, and it had most definitely been leading with its horn.

The next moment, Reala came back into site, shooting above NiGHTS and making a B-line for the open portal. He was clutching his stomach and something viscous and black was seeping out around his hands and falling to the ground below him. Blood. 'REALA!' NiGHTS screamed, suddenly more frightened than he had ever felt, as he watched the portal fold up like a flower in reverse after Reala slipped through it.

NiGHTS hadn't noticed the strange light drawing close again until there was a click and he looked over to see his wrist had been freed from one of the manacles. He looked to the other one and saw the strange creature leaning its head down and tapping its glowing horn softly against the restraint. He unfroze suddenly and grabbed at the horn with his free hand. '_What did you do to him?!_' he half-screamed, terrified and suddenly angry.

The creature's radiant blue eyes looked back at NiGHTS with a startled expression for a moment before its face became very soft with a look of deep sympathy. 'He will survive. A blow like that will not kill a being of his caliber.'

NiGHTS felt very weak suddenly, relief melting through the icy dread of moments before. He let his hand drop and sat up slowly, watching as the strange animal tapped each of the manacles on his ankles and set him free. '... What are you?' NiGHTS asked quietly, watching the strange way the creature moved on four thin, delicate legs, it's tail swishing lazily back and forth.

'I am Nightopian. My name is Auloris,' it replied in a soft, musical voice and dipped its head in a sort of bow. 'And you must be NiGHTS.'

NiGHTS opened his mouth and then closed it again, not sure what to say, and just stared at Auloris, wide-eyed and confused.

'The children have told me about you,' Auloris said, a smile on her long face. 'They love you.' She glanced into the forest around them. 'You can come out now, children. It's all right, he won't be back.'

NiGHTS looked around to see dozens of Nightopians pouring out from behind trees and bushes, bright smiles upon their faces as they rushed towards him and Auloris. Several piled into his lap, chirping and humming happily and tugging at him. '... Children...?' NiGHTS said softly, looking down at them as two or three more took up residence atop his head. '... You're a Nightopian when it _grows up?_'

Auloris bowed again. 'Not all of them will become fully developed dreams,' she said, nuzzling a Nightopian -_baby Nightopian?-_ that was clinging to her leg. 'But I was once one of them, as are all sweet dreams.'

'Why have I never seen one of you before?' NiGHTS asked, frowning.

'... There are not many of us now,' Auloris said, her glow dimming as her eyelashes drooped. 'And the ones that do exist hide themselves to avoid Wizeman's eyes, for you see he works most diligently in his quest to drive us to extinction.'

...

The doors of Wizeman's chamber flew open a moment after Reala knocked and he staggered forward, lacking the energy to fly the distance. 'M-Master Wizeman, forg-give me!' he whispered, pressing against his stomach as tar-like blood crawled down his body.

All six of Wizeman's eyes suddenly focused on Reala, swooping in close for a good look, before one of the hands scooped him off the floor and drew him up towards Wizeman's head. 'What happened to you, Reala?' he demanded, the other five eyes hovering close and examining the large puncture-wound that ran through Reala's stomach and out his back.

'A-a creature that I have never seen before interfered with my mission,' Reala said weakly, slumping against Wizeman's thumb. 'It was much stronger than I was prepared for... And it was fast. It said that it was called "Auloris."'

There was a quiet pause, which unnerved Reala, and then Wizeman's fingers tightened as though they were going to crush him. 'Auloris? Are you sure that is what it said?' Five eyes glared down at Reala and the hand around him was closed almost too tight to breath.

'Y-yes, Master!' Reala gasped and then suddenly the hand was no longer around him and he found himself plummeting towards the floor. He hit it hard and then lay still, his body in too much shock from the collision and the prior abuse to pick himself up.

'It can't be...' Wizeman was murmuring to himself. 'She should not have survived!' A hand zoomed back down next to Reala, staring at him hard as he demanded, 'What did it look like?'

'It... white... glowing white light... with one horn in... center of its head... four legs and... thin tail,' Reala gasped out as he stayed sprawled on the floor, trembling slightly from the effort of it all.

'It _is_ her!' Wizeman hissed and the hand above Reala disappeared for a few seconds as Wizeman seemed to brood. 'It is unthinkable _that one_ could have been the stronger! ... _Reala!_' The hand returned and grabbed him roughly off of the floor, pulling Reala back into the air to face Wizeman's enormous mask and the other five menacing eyes. 'If Auloris has returned then it is all the more imperative that NiGHTS' foolish games be put to an end!'

'Y-yes, Master...' Reala whispered and then coughed pathetically.

Wizeman's hand tightened around Reala again, so hard this time that Reala wondered for a moment if he was being crushed out of existence. Then suddenly it felt as though his whole body was on fire. Reala screamed and clawed at Wizeman's thumb, almost involuntarily, just trying desperately to escape the pain.

After a small eternity, the sensation abated and the hand around Reala slackened, leaving him panting and sobbing and clinging to the huge, metallic thumb. He was set down on the ground, gently this time, and though his knees buckled under him, he saw that he wasn't bleeding anymore.

'Th-thank you, Master Wizeman,' he mumbled softly.

'Take Jackle with you when you go to retrieve NiGHTS.'

'Yes Master,' Reala nodded, climbing to his feet. He tried to hop into the air but his feet just landed back against the floor and he dipped his head, his face burning with shame as he turned and walked towards the door.

'Regain your strength, Reala. And then go and bring NiGHTS back to me.'

'Yes Master,' Reala said, relieved that he would have time to rest before returning to his duties.

…

A/N: shitshitshitshitshit! I uploaded the wrong file, sorry, I need to name my docs better... I stored a whole lot of fanfiction in my computer for a road trip and I gave the files numbers instead of names, so I accidentally uploaded a friend's fic instead of my own at first. Sorry sorry sorry! Thank you to Spiked Dragon for pointing it out to me so quickly!


	2. Chapter 2

Owl was resting on a crumbled bit of railing with his eyes closed and head tucked down against his shoulders. His wings were pulled against him tightly and his feathers fluffed out, wrapping him in a cocoon of quiet warmth . His horn-feathers twitched as he heard voices approaching. NiGHTS voice was easily recognized but the one he was conversing with certainly did not sound like the visitor he'd taken out earlier. Owl opened his eyes and shook himself out a bit, looking into the woods, from which was coming a soft glowing light and a peculiar, resonant voice that tickled at Owl's memory.

He crooned curiously and abandoned his perch, crossing the courtyard to meet the pair that was immerging from the trees. 'Owl!' NiGHTS said when he spotted him, glancing around and seeming faintly surprised to be back at the Dream Gate.

'My goodness, NiGHTS, you certainly have found most august company tonight!' Owl said and smiled at the glowing, white unicorn. 'Auloris, you are looking quite well indeed!'

'Thank you, Owl, as are you,' Auloris replied with a small bow of her head and a warm smile. 'I discovered your pupil in a bit of difficulty this evening and decided to intervene.'

'Most generous of you.' Owl raised a brow-ridge at NiGHTS momentarily before looking back at Auloris, a strange mix of curiosity, fondness and apprehension bubbling within him. 'I must admit, I am quite shocked to see you out and about again.'

'You know each other?' NiGHTS asked, drifting over and slowly circling them both. 'You've never mentioned her, Owl...'

'My dear, if I were to tell you everyone I had ever known and everything I had ever done, well, it would take me as long to tell you as it did to happen in the first place,' Owl chuckled. 'I have not seen Auloris since quite some time before I met you.'

'Hmmm!' NiGHTS gave him a suspicious look. 'Why didn't you tell me that the Nightopians were babies?'

Owl gave him a calculated blank-look. '"Baby" is not quite the word I would use,' Owl said carefully. 'The creatures we commonly see in the visitors' Nightopias are undeveloped Nightopians, much like a Cuddle or a Shleep is an undeveloped Nightmare. Some of them may grow a sense of identity and individuality over time and "grow up," but most will simply remain as they are.' Owl glanced back at Auloris for a moment, her head was canted slightly to the side and she gave him a curious look. 'I suppose that I simply never thought to address it,' Owl said quietly, returning his eyes to NiGHTS. 'It seemed so obvious to me as to be unimportant.'

'... Well _I_ didn't know...' NiGHTS grumbled, crossing his arms and pouting.

'Then I apologize for the confusion.' Owl gave him a nod. Auloris coughed softly and Owl looked back at her again. 'NiGHTS, I wonder if you might give Auloris and me a few minutes to catch up.' NiGHTS' pout took on new levels of poutiness, but he complied by taking off into the air and furiously practicing his pareloops above the canopy.

'It is good to see you well,' Auloris said, walking slowly onto the cobbles of the courtyard.

'Likewise,' Owl agreed, following her. 'But I can't help but wonder what has inspired you to reveal yourself after all this time.'

'... Have you not felt the shift?' Auloris whispered, casting him an intense, blue gaze. 'The forests and valleys are stronger than they have been in eons. Children are everywhere, playing and singing in plain sight of the 'maren.'

'It is progress, but it is not yet enough, Auloris. If you were seen, if Wizeman knew that you were still alive-- '

'I'm sure that he does by now,' Auloris interjected. 'I told you that I assisted NiGHTS tonight. He had been captured by the one called Reala.'

Owl stared at her quietly for a while, a sinking feeling in his stomach. 'Did you kill him?'

'Of _course_ not!' Auloris snapped, glaring back.

Owl studied the sudden defensive anger that had come over Auloris' countenance at the suggestion and closed his eyes, sighing. 'Then you know who he is, I take it?'

'... NiGHTS' twin...' Auloris replied quietly, turning her head away.

Owl watched her silently a few moments longer and then sighed again. 'By now it is almost certain that Wizeman knows about you.'

'Yes.'

'Damn your impatience, Auloris!' Owl snarled, rage suddenly rising unbidden within him. 'I've been so _careful!_ Do you even understand what you've done? You have _provoked_ Wizeman and now we will loose NiGHTS! What were you _thinking?!_'

Auloris turned her eyes back on him, a look of reproach and defiance in them. 'Perhaps he is more capable than you give him credit for. He has done much in a short span of time, more than we could. You're underestimating him.'

'You are being reckless!'

'I'm tired of _waiting!_ I'm tired of hiding like a _coward!_' Auloris stomped her hoof and shook her head. 'And _you_, you _use_ him like a tool and hide the truth from him! It's _despicable_, Owl!'

'I do no such thing!' Owl protested, puffing himself up in offence. 'I am merely protecting him until he is ready!'

'That night will never come if you are the judge!' Auloris snapped. 'Anyway, what's done is done. The past can not be changed, what we must do now is prepare for Wizeman's retaliation.' She turned her head up towards the sky and called out, 'NiGHTS! Come down here, please!'

In hardly a breath, NiGHTS had zoomed back down towards them and bobbed up a few inches from the ground, looking bright. Owl narrowed his eyes at Auloris, nervous and suspicious, wondering just what she intended to tell him.

'I'm afraid that I've put you in danger,' Auloris said, lowering her head a bit in apology.

NiGHTS blinked, looking surprised and then grinned and shrugged. 'I was already in plenty of trouble all on my own! I don't think it's a big deal, I mean, I've been on Wizeman's bad-list for a while now.'

'NiGHTS,' Owl said, clicking his beak nervously. 'What you don't understand is that Wizeman has been under the impression that Auloris died quite some time ago. He will not be pleased to know that she's still alive.'

NiGHTS frowned, looking back and forth between them. 'But then wouldn't it be Auloris who's in trouble? Isn't he going to start looking for her now?'

'That will be one of his priorities, yes.' Auloris nodded. 'But it may also concern him that it is because of you that I am confident enough to show myself... You have been making a great difference in the Night Dimension, NiGHTS, and Wizeman will not be able to ignore that now.'

'You're no longer a simple annoyance to him, NiGHTS,' Owl added. 'I fully anticipate that Wizeman is going to become much more serious in putting an end to your rebellion.'

'But...' NiGHTS mumbled, his face taking on a worried expression. 'What am I supposed to do? I can't just hide or something, I have to keep fighting him! Nothing's gonna get fixed if I run away! I want to see Mother!'

'You're absolutely correct, NiGHTS,' Auloris answered, stepping forward and nuzzling his face. 'We can no longer afford to run... That is why I am going to give you something. Hold out your hands please.'

She was going to give him a spell? It would be a help, Owl knew, but he doubted it would be enough. He watched as NiGHTS cupped his hands in front of him, staring with wide-eyed curiosity as Auloris lowered her head, placing her horn inches above his waiting hands, and closed her eyes.

Her horn sweated little drops of light that rolled down and formed a fist-sized pearl at the tip. After a moment, the pearl of light dropped off the end of Auloris' horn and sank into NiGHTS' hands, soaking in like they were a sponge. NiGHTS jerked a little in surprise and then examined his hands, which appeared unchanged, as Auloris straightened up.

'I hope that will help to protect you. If you find yourself in danger, do not hesitate to call for me. I will come.' She pressed her nose to NiGHTS cheek again and then turned.

'You're leaving?' NiGHTS asked; he looked disappointed.

'I should return to Nightopia, to look after the little ones,' she replied, smiling softly at him and then nodding to Owl and offering him a smile as well. 'Good night. I'm sure that we shall see much more of each other in the future.'

'Good night, Auloris,' Owl said, bowing his head to her and resting himself on a perch.

'Good night, Owl,' Auloris nodded over her shoulder and walked into the trees, soon disappearing, despite the fact that the woodland around the Gate was not at all thick.

'Good night!' NiGHTS called after her, waving his hand in the air.

...

'He's probably at the Dream Gate,' Reala said as he glided out of the castle.

'Unless he's not, of course,' Jackle offered, flying up-side-down and looking up at Reala with a cheeky grin.

'It's the sensible place to start,' Reala snapped.

'Good luck with that then.' The corners of Jackle's lips curled up a bit higher. 'Do you really think you can take NiGHTS and the old bird by yourself?'

Reala blinked, stilling in the air, and then cast a glare down at the mostly-invisible 'maren. 'What?'

'I can't go to the Dream Gate, remember?' Jackle reminded him, stretching lazily.

Reala grimaced in irritation, both at the fact that he _had_ forgotten and at Jackle's absurd limitation. He growled and then turned a circle, opening a small portal. 'Fine. Wait here while I check. It's better to eliminate the possibility rather than wasting effort.

'Right. You be sensible, I'll be lazy. Suits me,' Jackle chuckled behind him as Reala slipped through into a small ravine that was well out of site of the gates.

He sunk into the shadows of the woodland and skimmed silently through the air towards the gates, listening intently for voices or NiGHTS' music. There was none, and as he approached the clearing and looked it over from the cover of the trees, he could see the Owl sitting on one of its perches, looking as though it were napping.

Reala circled once, carefully staying beyond the tree line, and couldn't find the barest hint of his twin's presence, and so he veered back into the forest and then turned in a tight knot in the air, slipping through a portal back to where he'd left Jackle.

Jackle gave him an obnoxious grin and a wave. 'Any luck?'

'He's not there.' Reala closed his eyes and turned slowly in the air. After a moment, he stopped, and opened his eyes again, staring out in the direction that he'd ended up facing. 'This way,' he said and started off again.

...

Alison liked playing ring chase, although she played it more like tag than follow-the-leader. They'd caught Octopaw three times and received several face-fulls of ink in the process. Octopaw had finally gotten fed-up with the game and attached himself to their arm, giving them a nasty bite. After that, Alison wasn't so charmed by the little blue dream-creature, and they'd taken to aimless touring of the Nightopia.

_What happens to Nightopia when I wake up?_ Alison asked as they glided past a giant stone head, half-buried in the mossy ground.

'It changes,' NiGHTS replied with a shrug. 'Moves around, turns into someone else's Nightopia.'

_And the Nightopians are all still there?_

NiGHTS tilted their head to the side a bit, considering the question. 'Some of them, I guess. There are always Nightopians, but they'll have different names and things from dream to dream.'

_But what happens to my Nightopians?_ Alison asked, sounding distressed.

'You can dream them again. So I suppose they stay with you.'

Alison worried their lip with their teeth, seeming anxious. _None of them stay here?_

'Well _"here"_ doesn't stay here,' NiGHTS countered. 'Nightopias change all the time. That's what makes them interesting.'

_That seems so unstable... What about you? You're not going to disappear, are you NiGHTS?_

'No, I'll be here!' NiGHTS giggled and twisted around in the air playfully. 'You're not the only one who dreams about me. When a lot of people dream the same thing, it starts to get real!'

_Really?_ Alison asked, their eyes widening a bit.

'Absolutely! Everything that's real starts as a dream, y'know!'

_I hadn't--_

'_Look out!_' NiGHTS shouted, swerving in the air to avoid a harlequin-checked two of spades zinging towards them. He dodged the first card but didn't see the second one until it sliced through his side. They yelped together. 'Argh! Jackle! What do _you_ want!' NiGHTS demanded when he righted himself and spotted the caped Nightmaren.

Jackle grinned back up at him, sharp teeth and bright eyes glinting from the shadows of his hat. 'Oh, I'm just helping. I'm very helpful, you know,' he replied.

'What's that supposed to--' NiGHTS started just before something crashed into he and Allison's back very hard and slammed them into the ground.

_Owwww!_ Alison whined. _That's not fair! What happened?_

Their collision had created a small crater in the soft moss and NiGHTS didn't have time to struggle himself into an upright position before he felt their arm being yanked up behind their back painfully. 'If you let go of your little friend now, I promise not to drop it anywhere _too_ terrible.'

'Reala!' NiGHTS forgot what was happening long enough to be relieved at hearing his twin's voice. 'You're okay!'

Reala responded with a vicious snarl and threw NiGHTS back into the crater, glaring down at him.

'How _sweet!_' Jackle exclaimed and started to laugh, drifting closer to NiGHTS' crater. 'Such adorable sibling love! Are you going to hug now?'

'_Shut up!_' Reala snapped, turning his glare on Jackle for a moment.

NiGHTS' felt his stomach sink as the implications of them both being here started to register. It wasn't just Reala assigned to deal with him anymore. Wizeman was getting serious, just like Owl and Auloris had predicted. Even with a visitor boosting his dream-power, he couldn't beat both Reala and Jackle together.

_... Sibling?_ Alison whispered. _... They... They look like you... Who are they, NiGHTS?_

'They're top-ranking Nightmaren,' NiGHTS said in a low monotone. Reala's eyes focused back down on him and Jackle started to laugh louder than before. They couldn't hear Alison when she was dualized with NiGHTS, but they knew who he was talking to.

'Oh go on. Tell the poor thing what _you_ are, NiGHTS,' Reala prompted with a smirk, crossing his arms.

'... Is this going to take all night?' NiGHTS asked, putting on an impatient voice and giving what he hoped was a bored look. 'We had plans, y'know, and it's pretty rude to just drop in unexpected like that.'

_You're... one of them?_ Allison's voice was very small. _A Nightmaren?_

'He doesn't _know_ what he is,' Jackle snorted and then started snickering through his teeth at some private joke.

'Blah blah blah blah blah!' NiGHTS pushed himself back into the air, and stared them both down. 'Are you trying to _talk_ me to death or what!'

'Oh is death on tonight's schedule?' Jackle cast Reala a hopeful look as he shuffled his deck idly.

Reala turned his head sharply and narrowed his eyes at Jackle, face falling back into a well-practiced glare. '_Capture_,' he corrected through clenched teeth.

_NiGHTS..._ Alison mumbled.

'Look, if you don't want to be here, then wake up!' NiGHTS whispered. That would at least put her out of Wizeman's reach, and then NiGHTS would just have to figure out how to get away from Reala and Jackle.

'Sound advice, visitor, I suggest you observe it,' Reala cracked his knuckles for show as Jackle sprang his cards from one hand to the other in an exaggerated arch that was about as concerned with the laws of physics as NiGHTS was.

_I... Can I help you, somehow...?_ Alison asked in a hesitant voice.

NiGHTS smiled softly and nodded. 'You can believe without a doubt that I'm going to win. Don't even worry, I'll mop the floor with these guys.' The truth was that NiGHTS didn't know if he even stood a chance against the two of them, but he made himself sound confident so that Alison would be, because her belief could be the deciding factor.

Reala snorted, 'So you've found one with an ounce of loyalty this time.' He gave an unconcerned shrug. 'It won't make any difference, it's just amusing to see a visitor with stronger convictions than _you_.'

'It's not risking much,' Jackle said, shuffling and grinning. '_It_ will loose a bit of beauty-rest and _NiGHTS_ will be gutted. It doesn't take too much loyalty to make that sacrifice. It just wants to prove that it has...' He pulled a card from the deck without looking at it and turned it around to display a red ace. 'A heart.'

...

A/N: So I'm going to completely ignore that part in the JoD beginning tutorial where 'Nightmaren are attacking the Dream Gate!' and for the purposes of this fic the Dream Gate is special and the majority of dream-creatures can't go there because it's like this no-man's-land neutral-zone thing. So that's what that was about. Small note on appearances, the better for imagining, Auloris looks like The Last Unicorn but all glowy.


	3. Chapter 3

_I believe in you, NiGHTS._ Alison said as NiGHTS squared himself and a moment later dodged the ace of hearts slicing through the air.

Jackle laughed out loud and threw three more while Reala dove towards NiGHTS at a rapid spin, leading with his fists. NiGHTS dropped quickly and grabbed at his twin's waist, using Reala's own rotation to drag him into a paraloop. He felt a card cut into his back and another grazed his leg as the force of his paraloop threw Reala hard enough to crack the huge stone he was thrown into.

NiGHTS swerved and swooped to avoid another volley from Jackle's deck as he grabbed for the card embedded in his back and pulled it out with an involuntary little whimper. He knew Jackle was weaker at close-range so he pulled in tight, skimming under Jackle's boots and up behind him to grab for his cape.

Jackle slashed at him with a fan of cards and ducked away, pulling his cape snug against himself with his other hand and trying to get out of reach. NiGHTS growled in frustration and threw a punch. It was only as the punch connected that NiGHTS noticed his hands were glowing brightly and his sparkle-trail was much thicker than usual.

His glowing fist hit Jackle's face with a bright flash and as it faded, Jackle's clothes dropped to the ground, the shadows that composed his body scattered and dispelled by the light. Jackle's voice, faint and echoing around the dreamscape, howled with a sound of anger and frustration rarely heard from the grinning jester.

_YES!_ Alison shrieked excitedly. _You didn't even break a sweat!_

NiGHTS stared at the limp clothing crumpled on the mossy ground and tried to process what had just happened. How could he have possibly done that so easily? After a few moments, he remembered the glowy-thing Auloris had given him. He'd summoned that light somehow, without even thinking about it?

_NiGHTS what are you doing? What about the other guy!_ Alison's voice dragged him out of his thoughts and NiGHTS jerked his head back up to look at Reala, who was staring with the same confused shock that NiGHTS was feeling.

Reala looked back at him, their eyes meeting for a few moments before his expression shifted back into the usual glare and he squared himself. 'I don't know how you did that, but it's not going to work on me,' he growled.

'Yeah, probably not,' NiGHTS agreed, raising his still-glowing fists and taking a fight-ready stance. 'But I've beat you before and you don't have Jackle backing you up now.'

Reala's lip curled into a snarl before he fisted a hand in front of him and curled his shoulders in with effort, summoning up brimstone.

Alison gave a startled yelp when a huge portal opened over their heads and fiery boulders started spilling out from it. NiGHTS wasn't fazed by the display, however, he'd seen it enough times before so he shot towards the nearest flaming ball before it had even lost momentum.

...

'Owl!' NiGHTS called as he swooped down toward the fountain. 'Hey Owl!'

Owl turned his neck to look up and raised a feathered brow in response.

'It was the weirdest thing!' NiGHTS said, settling himself into the air next to Owl. He had a flushed, excited look about him that was more pronounced than the usual high he got from a particularly enjoyable flight. 'Reala showed up to bring me in again, but Jackle was with him too,' NiGHTS explained and Owl raised his other eyebrow in concern. 'And I was fighting them, but then I got glowy and Jackle exploded and it's gotta be what Auloris did last night!'

'Exploded?' Owl repeated, cocking his head in the other direction.

'It got real bright and he fell apart!'

Owl nodded slowly. 'I see,' he said, curious that Auloris had given NiGHTS a weapon against Jackle so specifically. She must have anticipated this move from Wizeman, and it was logical. Jackle's particular weakness made him next to useless against Auloris, so he wouldn't be given that assignment. But it still begged the question, to whom he would it be given, since Wizeman's last gambit had obviously failed.

'But it was really weird. And cool. And and- I gotta go find Auloris again!' NiGHTS babbled.

'I would advise against searching for her, NiGHTS,' Owl said in a serious tone. 'Doing so would put her at greater risk of being found by Wizeman's minions.'

'Oh, really?' NiGHTS asked, looking disappointed. 'Okay...'

Owl smiled softly. 'I'm sure she will seek you out again soon.'

NiGHTS brightened a bit and grinned toothily back at him. 'Yeah!'

...

'_Jackle!_' Reala pounded on the locked door irritably as he continued to receive no response from within. Snarling, he moved back to the far wall and then shot forward, crashing forcefully through the door.

'_Damnit!_ Close the door!' Jackle shouted, crouching in the shade of one of his over-sized blocks to hide from the light spilling in from the hallway.

Reala sneered, but obliged by pushing the door closed behind him and returning the room to total darkness. 'You are utterly _useless_,' Reala hissed into the blackness. 'What kind of pathetic display was that?'

There was a low growl before Jackle properly replied, 'You should have said that _Auloris_ was helping him.'

Reala narrowed his eyes at the inky darkness. 'Why should that matter? I brought you to even the odds, much help you were.'

There were a few moments of silence before Jackle spat, '_Stupid._ I don't understand how Master Wizeman can favor you. It's _disgusting._'

Reala gritted his teeth and glared at the shadows. 'Because I am stronger than you could ever hope to be, _pissant_.'

'Oh _yes_, you have the _brawn_, don't you? And not a clever thought in your _empty_ little head.' Reala started to move as he heard Jackle's voice coming closer to him, but he was grabbed by an unseen hand and shoved into the wall before he could get a bead on the invisible 'maren's location. 'You're two of a kind, you and NiGHTS. It's only a matter of time before your _inadequacies_ become apparent. I do _wish_ Master Wizeman would recognize how _untrustworthy_ his little pet is.'

Reala dug his nails into the hand pinning him to the wall and then lunged down and sank in his teeth. Jackle's grip slackened momentarily giving Reala the opportunity to break away and ram into the other 'maren with a rapid drill-dash.

'Useless, whining _dog!_' Reala slashed out a clawed hand and felt it connect with something as Jackle let out a pained yelp. 'What _right_ do you have to question Master Wizeman's decisions?'

Jackle hissed and withdrew, melting into the surrounding shadows before Reala could catch him again. 'Find someone else to assist you in delivering your _wayward_ other half,' he sulked. 'I have a _new_ assignment.'

'What assignment?' Reala demanded.

'One that doesn't concern _you_.'

Reala glared at the darkness for a moment and then turned and flew out the door, leaving it wide open as he left.

...

Katy was picking flowers. She'd dreamed up a vast field of tulips, marigolds and many more varieties, and she was happily wading among them, picking out her favorites and weaving them into her hair. NiGHTS floated along next to her, fingering the petals and playing hide and seek with the 'pians among the tall stalks.

Nightopians weren't very good at hiding because they couldn't stop giggling when they thought they'd found a good place. Katy laughed as NiGHTS scooped a shrieking, giggling 'pian out from under some pink carnations. 'I found youuuu!' NiGHTS informed the 'pian as he tossed it in the air.

'They're so cute!' Katy said, picking up a burbling 'pian from next to her feet. 'Like weird little babies!'

'They _are_ babies!' NiGHTS replied with a smile, setting the captured Nightopian back down among the flowers.

'Hey, that one looks different,' Katy said curiously, putting down the 'pian she was holding and moving to her left.

'Wait! Watch out!' NiGHTS said in alarm, dodging forward to intercept her, wondering if she'd spotted a lesser 'maren or a mepian. When he saw what the girl was looking at, however, he paused and blinked. It was a 'pian, but it's smock was different from the others and it was a pale gold color all over, with a faint glow.

'What's wrong, NiGHTS?' Katy asked.

NiGHTS looked back to find Katy giving him an odd look. 'Uh, nothing,' NiGHTS said, dipping down and picked the golden Nightopian up under the arms to take a closer look. 'I... I haven't seen one like this before...'

'Is there something wrong with it?' Katy sounded a little worried, moving next to NiGHTS and looking closely at the 'pian as well.

'No... I- I think it's growing up!' The Nightopian gave NiGHTS a wide smile and patted his hand.

'Growing up? It's the same size as the other ones though,' Katy observed, glancing around at other Nightopians still milling about in the flowers.

'Yeah, but changing color like that means it's asserting some individuality,' NiGHTS returned the 'pian's smile and held it closer to him. 'If it keeps changing, it'll get bigger and stronger and more unique.'

'Really?' Katy sounded impressed, she leaned in and stroked the 'pian's head softly. 'What will it look like?'

'I don't know, it could be anything!' NiGHTS grinned, absolutely tickled pink by the unusual discovery. 'I know a grown-up Nightopian that has for legs and a shiny horn in the middle of her head.'

'Like a unicorn?' Katy asked, her eyes bright and excited.

'Yeah! That's it!' NiGHTS agreed.

'Oh can I meet her? Please?' Katy pleaded.

'Um, hm, I don't really know how to find her,' NiGHTS said slowly, frowning. 'She kind of found me...'

'Oh...' Katy said, her face falling. 'I see...'

'But, who knows! Maybe she'll show up sometime while you're here!' NiGHTS gave her an encouraging grin.

...

'Owl!' NiGHTS called as he drifted into the courtyard. 'Owl, look what we found!'

Owl obligingly flapped over to meet him and NiGHTS shifted his arms, presenting the little golden Nightopian that Katy had spotted. 'Look!' he exclaimed.

Owl blinked, his eyes going quite wide, and then a number of emotions seemed to cross his face and it eventually settled into worry.

'It's a Nightopian, Owl! And look, it's different! It's growing up, like Auloris!'

Owl clicked his beak in a nervous manner and looked as though he were searching for something to say.

'Owl?' NiGHTS asked, confused by his reaction.

'I see,' Owl said quietly. 'And you've brought it _here_.'

'Well, I thought because Auloris said that Wizeman killed most of the grown-up Nightopians before, that he'd try to get this one too and I should keep it safe so it can keep growing,' NiGHTS explained.

'Yes...' Owl nodded slowly. 'Yes, I suppose Wizeman does have a few of his agents whose assignment it is to find... Nightopians like this one.'

The 'pian gave Owl a grin and then gurgled happily up at NiGHTS. NiGHTS laughed. 'Isn't it exciting? It's just like Auloris said! Things are changing faster and faster! Nightopia will be whole again soon!'

'Yes, I suppose it will,' Owl agreed, relaxing enough to give NiGHTS a smile. 'We should be sure to keep an eye on this little one.'

...

A/N: This chapter's a bit shorter than the others, but I can't figure out anything else I want to be in it… Next chapter maybe I'll get into what Jackle's doing and probably bring in some more boss-'maren. The Gold-topian's staying on for a bit, but I'm going to be trying really damn hard not to let this turn into a terrible baby-story or something (like the kind that kills many a good TV series.) Anyhoo…

Please can I have some comments? Maybe it's vain, but I feel so lonely when I get no feedback on my writings… I can't tell if anybody's reading me and it makes me all squirmy and awkward.


	4. Chapter 4

'I know you're heeeeee-re~' Jackle sang, gliding through the landscape of a lake-themed Nightopia. He'd been following the creature's casings for ages, tracking his small, irritatingly illusive prey. Unfortunately for the prey, leaving bread-crumbs was an involuntary side-effect of swift flight. The yellow rings trailed through the air, marking its path for all to see and rarely let up for more than a few yards.

And so Jackle knew that he was within a few yards of it. It dropped more rings when it was nervous, and the area was strewn with them. He was close. Hidden in some tiny nook within this glade would be a squishy, blue cephalopod waiting to be shredded out of existence.

The problem was that it was very good at hiding. It could squish itself into anything, vessels and crevasses much smaller than its own body and disappear for hours, only to resurface somewhere completely unexpected. It had escaped him in the past, he'd given up the chase long ago, because Octopaw didn't present any particular threat to Wizeman's reign and the slippery creature was more trouble to capture than it was worth.

But now it was time for a more complete annihilation, and so Jackle would just have to grin and bare it and drive himself to exhaustion searching for the best hide-and-seeker in the Night Dimension.

...

Owl perked up and watched as a curious visitor with a curious hat strode into the plaza looking around curiously. He hooted and left his perch, flapping in the direction of the boy, who looked up at the sound and gave him a curious look.

'Hi!' the boy said waving a hand. 'I'm Finn!'

'Good evening,' Owl gave him a friendly nod, smiling at the boy's outgoing attitude. 'I am Owl.'

Finn grinned and rocked back and forth on his feet. 'I can see that!' he agreed and looked around some more. 'So where am I?'

'You're in the Night Dimension,' Owl informed him. 'At the Dream Gate.'

'Algebraic!' Finn grinned and shoved his hands into his pockets. 'So does that mean I space-travel in my sleep or something?'

Owl chuckled. 'Something like that,' he agreed. 'If you'll stay for a bit, I'm sure NiGHTS will be along. You'll like meeting him.'

'Is he asleep too?'

'No, he lives in the Night Dimension,' Owl settled onto the closest perch. 'Is there anything you'd like to know about the Night Dimension?'

Finn asked him a few questions, but he soon became bored and left to explore the island. Some twenty minutes later, Owl's quiet solitude was again interrupted as NiGHTS glided into the courtyard. 'NiGHTS,' Owl called, watching NiGHTS twist in the air and correct his course to fly over towards him. 'There's a visitor, a young boy, exploring the island. He seems to be rather an adventurer.'

'Neat!' NiGHTS chirped. 'I'll go find him!'

...

Finn took NiGHTS flying in the spoooooky castle and they were tumbling through the air, laughing all the way. They ran into some Snips and Hollows who'd been attracted by all the fun and made short work of them. Down in the dungeon they followed a trail of blue-chips through winding passages and dark corridors until they suddenly found themselves facing a dead-end. They both started laughing.

'Maybe we should have taken a left,' NiGHTS suggested, grinning.

'It's hard to say no to those glowy things!' Finn shrugged. 'Let's go find some more bad-guys to fight!'

'Okay!' NiGHTS giggled. 'You sure like fighting evil, Finn!'

'It's my thing!' he agreed. 'Maybe we could find a princess to rescue or something t--'

'Excuse me,' a high-pitched voice interrupted and they turned around, holding their fists at the ready.

The voice turned out to belong to a creature NiGHTS hadn't seen before, although it was obviously a Night Dimension native. It was very small with two arms and legs and one head, which was topped with two soft-looking antennae, it had cellophane wings stemming from its back and it glowed a pale green.

'Hi! What are you?' Finn asked out of NiGHTS' mouth before he'd quite formed the question himself.

The little creature smiled in a shy way and replied in a fainter voice than before, 'I'm Doodra. I'm Nightopian.'

'Wow, really?' NiGHTS bounced in the air. Inside his head, Finn asked _Like the little lawn-gnome guys?_

'Yes.' Doodra nodded. 'I, um, you're NiGHTS, correct?' she mumbled, seeming to shuffle her feet, though floating in the air.

'That's me,' NiGHTS agreed with an encouraging smile. 'What do you need?'

'Well, it's, you see, there's a very strong Nightmaren who is, well, _hunting_ me and others,' Doodra explained. 'And I'm good at hiding, but he is very good at searching.'

NiGHTS frowned, worried. So Wizeman wasn't just after Auloris now, he was trying to kill any other grown Nightopians that were still around? ... How many were there, though, why hadn't NiGHTS ever seen them before? 'So... you want me to kill him?' he asked, tilting his head.

'Oh, no, no, that wouldn't do any good. He's much too strong an archetype,' Doodra said, shaking her tiny head. 'He would be dreamed back very quickly. The problem is that I'm afraid to do my job.'

'What's your job?'

'Scattering the blue chips,' Doodra said.

NiGHTS blinked in surprise. 'I didn't know someone put them out!'

'Well they don't just appear now do they, that would just be silly,' Doodra giggled.

_NiGHTS, I don't understand, why can't we beat up this guy who's trying to hurt Doodra?_ Finn asked, frustrated and a bit confused.

'Because it will only last a little while, he's an archetype and that means that a lot of people dream about the idea of him all the time, so even if we kill him, he comes back again and again,' NiGHTS explained.

_Maaan!_ Finn complained. _That sucks hamsters!_

'Yeah, I know right.' NiGHTS smirked at the boy's comment and then focused on Doodra again. 'Who is it? What does he look like?'

'It's the mad clown,' Doodra said quietly, shivering a little. 'He is Wizeman's assassin.'

'... Jackle...' NiGHTS said, mostly to himself, as he felt his stomach tighten a little. 'He _would_ be.'

_You know the guy, NiGHTS?_

'Anyway, how can I help?' NiGHTS asked Doodra.

Doodra seemed to blush faintly and smiled a shy smile up at NiGHTS. 'You _are_ helping, NiGHTS,' she said. 'It would be a great imposition to ask any more of you, but...'

'I like helping!' NiGHTS assured her with a wide grin.

_Yeah! We're all about heroing!_ Finn added, though Doodra couldn't hear him.

'Well, I, I was wondering if you might help me a little, seeing that the blue-chips are scattered...' Doodra mumbled. 'I'm not usually seen when I do it, I never stay out in the open very long, but now that the assassin is looking for us more closely, I'm afraid that he will find me...'

NiGHTS nodded slowly. 'I can do that, no problem. I love flying around Nightopia! ... Where do I get the blue-chips from?'

Doodra giggled in a relieved way and flew up closer to his face, holding out a little blue pebble. 'This is my bobble,' she said. 'You just hold it and think that you want blue-chips to be somewhere. Try it!'

NiGHTS accepted the pebble and examined it for a moment before closing his hand around it and willing a blue-chip to appear just in front of him. It did. 'Oooh!' he said in chorus with Finn.

'That's perfect!' Doodra clapped. 'You've got it!'

NiGHTS grinned back at her. 'So I just throw these around willy-nilly in Nightopia and you can hide somewhere safe?' he asked.

'Yes,' Doodra agreed with a happy and relieved smile.

'You should come to the Dream Gate, so then me and Owl can protect you if any baddies come after you,' NiGHTS suggested.

Doodra laughed. 'I can't go to the Dream Gate!' she said.

NiGHTS frowned, confused. 'Why not?'

'I'm Nightopian, silly!'

NiGHTS just stared at her, perplexed, for a few moments. 'What should that matter?' he asked.

'Well Nightopians can't _go_ to the Dream Gate,' Doodra explained, seeming surprised that NiGHTS shouldn't know something that seemed so obvious. 'It's off limits.'

'... Why?'

'Well it just is!'

...

NiGHTS and Finn spent the rest of the dream scattering blue chips around Nightopia. Finn was concerned because NiGHTS was brooding in a very serious manner, but NiGHTS couldn't really explain what was bothering him. After Finn woke up, NiGHTS tucked the blue-bobble into his glove for safe-keeping and headed back for the Dream Gate.

As he approached, he heard voices, including one that made him feel relieved and anxious and... suspicious? all at once. 'Auloris!' NiGHTS called, gliding into the clearing, and the equine looked up from her conversation with Owl. NiGHTS noticed that the golden Nightopian was sitting on her shoulder, playing contentedly with Auloris' mane.

'Hello, NiGHTS,' Auloris said warmly, a soft smile on her long, white face.

'How was the dream, NiGHTS?' Owl asked, turning to him.

'It was, it was neat. There was a spooky castle and things, and, and I met Doodra. Actually, she kinda ambushed me,' NiGHTS said slowly, an unfamiliar feeling of hesitation making him stammer slightly.

'That's lovely,' Auloris said, smiling brighter. 'Doodra is so shy, it's wonderful that she's revealed herself to you.'

'Yeah, I, I guess, it's just, she said something funny...' NiGHTS shifted in the air and felt oddly uncomfortable.

'What's the matter, NiGHTS?' Owl asked, sounding worried.

'Well...' NiGHTS felt almost guilty for some reason, which confused him even more. 'I told Doodra that she should come here to hide, so we could help protect her and things, and she said that Nightopians can't go to the Dream Gate...' NiGHTS looked between Owl and Auloris, a little frown on his lips. 'But then how come Auloris and Pia can be here?'

Auloris turned her head and gave Owl a pointed look for a few moments, to which he didn't respond, before looking back at NiGHTS. 'I was born Mepian, NiGHTS,' Auloris explained. 'I choose to think of myself as Nightopian as that is where my allegiance lies.' She ducked her head slightly in a sort of apologetic nod, 'I am sorry to have confused you.'

NiGHTS shook his head slowly, face squished with confusion. 'I don't... but what about Pia?' he asked in an almost whiney voice.

'Pia must be Mepian as well,' Auloris said quietly, turning her head to gaze back at the little golden dream perched on her back. 'She favors a Nightopian in appearance, but there is certainly something more to her.'

NiGHTS face scrunched up more; Auloris' answers only seemed to make him more confused than he had been before. Suddenly none of it seemed to make any sense. 'I don't...' He shook his head, as though trying to clear the confusion that way. 'I don't understand. Why can't Nightopians come here?'

'It is simply the nature of this place,' Owl intoned.

Auloris glanced at him, her expression almost contemptuous and then looked back at NiGHTS her face hard. 'It is a neutral zone,' she said in a firm, confident voice.

'_Auloris_,' Owl hissed.

'Neither pure Nightopians or pure Nightmaren can enter this part of the Night Dimension.'

NiGHTS blinked at her in confusion, taking in her serious expression that seemed to be trying to convey something very important to him. A sudden realization of what had been implied within the statement made NiGHTS' eyes widen and he stared at her, and then at Owl, his mouth opening and closing uselessly as he tried to force some word to form. 'B-but...' he whimpered pathetically and couldn't seem to manage anything else.

Owl was glaring at Auloris, looking very nearly livid. 'You're _confusing_ him!' he snapped.

'What reason could you _possibly_ have to keep it from him?' Auloris snarled back, pawing the ground with a hoof.

'You've complicated the issue, Auloris! He wasn't _ready!_' Owl puffed his feathers angrily.

'He was _ready_ the moment he turned away from _Wizeman!_' Auloris shouted. 'Keeping his heritage from him can only make him suffer more!'

'You don't _understand!_'

'HOW DARE YOU SAY THAT TO ME!' Auloris shouted, surging forward a few steps and looking as though she intended to skewer Owl, before checking herself and backing up again, her body seeming to shake with emotion. 'If there is _anyone_ in the Night Dimension who understands, it is _me_. _You_ should know that,' she growled.

NiGHTS stared back and forth between them. He found himself trembling slightly and felt as though he wanted to cry, although he wasn't quite sure what emotion was spurring it. 'I don't...' he started and then stopped, his face crumpling a little more as his breath became shaky. 'What _am_ I?' he whispered helplessly.

Auloris turned back toward him, her face becoming very soft again, a quiet sadness shining behind her blue eyes. 'You are the same as me,' she whispered, walking forward and nuzzling NiGHTS' cheek gently. 'You have always had the spark of light within you,' Auloris' gaze lowered and NiGHTS followed it to where his sparkle-trail was pooling and dissipating around his feet. 'Why would a Nightmaren ever create light?'

NiGHTS opened his mouth and then closed it again because he couldn't think of any words to fit there. Suddenly he wanted to be far away. Away from Auloris and the revelations that followed her. Away from Owl and his _secrets_. Away from Pia, burbling away happily like the world hadn't just turned upside down. Away from the Dream Gate and it's rules that apparently didn't apply to _him_.

He darted backwards through the air and spun around, zooming upwards before tracing a knot in the sky and flying through the center of his own paraloop, getting the hell away from there.

...

A/N: ... Because Adventure Time is the sh1t. I'm so excited about the series. I totally bought an Adventure Time hat off of Etsy last week. Y'know, I was just making up random children whenever I was like 'Hey, I need a kid here,' but now I think I might continue on dropping in guest-stars...


End file.
